1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a wire support and more particularly to an improved twisted metal wire support for supporting an object from a base surface and a method of making the wire support.
2. Background of the Invention
Signs have been used throughout history to convey ideas and identifications in addition to marketing and advertising products and services. Early shop keepers and tradesmen devised signs with emblems representing products or services enabling an essentially illiterate public to identify the facility of the merchant or tradesman. As the population became literate, signs containing text emerged. In modern times, signs of many types, styles and sizes proliferated and are now responsible for conveying information vital to our everyday needs and desires.
The signs may be classified as either permanent or temporary. Permanent signs include those identifying permanently located businesses and the like. Temporary signs include real estate for sale signs, political advertising signs, for rent signs, as well as signs identifying yard or garage sales and the like. Temporary signs have unique requirements, quite different from those of permanently installed signs. Since temporary signs are not expected to withstand the ravages of long term extensive exposure to the elements, the materials requirements for temporary signs are less stringent. However, temporary signs must withstand short term exposure to sun and rain, as well as withstanding reasonable wind loads. Since abandoned signs degrade and the theft and vandalism rate for temporary signs is higher than permanent signs, the cost of temporary signs must be maintained as low as possible. Temporary signs must also be designed for ease of installation in a variety of environments by persons relatively unskilled in sign installation.
A variety of sign holding devices has been described in the literature. The following U.S. patents are representative of some of the attempts of the prior art to provide improvements to the art.
U.S. Pat. D 32,692 to Adelbert T. Muth discloses a sign holder with an upper circular looped terminal supported by a twisted stem having an open circular base.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,094,129 to George H. Manahan discloses a combined grave marker and flower vase. The invention comprises a casing open at one end and closed at the other end, an epitaph marker mounted on the outer side of the closed end of the casing and rigid with respect to the casing, and means for supporting the casing with either end uppermost. The casing acts as a flower vase when mounted with its open end uppermost, and as an epitaph marker when reversed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,379 to Edward F. Schmidt discloses a standard comprising, a plurality of rods projecting upwardly from spaced points. A cap is provided with spaced holes receiving the upper ends of the rods. The spacing of the holes in the cap is less than the spacing of the lower ends of the rods and the axes of the holes in the cap being angularly related to the central axis of the standard to snugly receive the upper ends of the rods. A resilient collar encircles the intermediate the ends of the rods, drawing the rods together and acting to impart a twist to the rods about the central axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,872,750 to Willis C. Holcomb discloses a demountable frame assembly for displaying a sheet material sign. The frame includes a pair of channel posts extending vertically, the channels being directed towards each other. A plurality of rivets are mounted in the posts, with one of the rivets in each post being located in spaced relation to two other rivets arranged one above the other in close relation to each other. A plurality of cross bars is provided, with one of the cross bars having diagonally disposed notches in each end thereof. The notches being positioned on the one rivet in each post. The diagonal notch prevents removal of the bar due to the diagonal notches when the posts are parallel to each other. A second bar is disclosed having a vertically disposed notch near each end thereof. The notches in the second bar being seated upon the two closely spaced rivets. A third channel bar is described, having the channel directed downwardly with the upper margin of the sign projecting upwardly into the channel of the third bar. Means for removably attaching the third bar to the posts is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,976,000 to Ralph R. Gunderson discloses a resilient support for an indicating sign. The support comprises a length of coil spring having closely coiled convolutions affording a central longitudinal opening through the coil spring: A length of flexible wire is positioned within the central opening. The wire being of a size so that its outer lateral surface is closely adjacent to the inner surfaces of the convolutions of the coil spring, whereby lateral flexing forces on the spring are distributed by the inner surfaces of the convolutions longitudinally of the embraced wire to prevent the wire from assuming a set position. One end portion of the wire being retained adjacent a corresponding end portion of the coil spring so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the wire with respect to the coil spring in one direction, and the other end portion of the wire extending outwardly of the opposite end portion of the coil spring. Means secured to the other end portion of the wire and being adapted to engage the indicating sign to secure the support to the indicating sign is provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,445 to David A. Smith et al. discloses a portable sign assembly comprising a rigid knockdown frame and a flexible display web. In a collapsed condition elements of the sign assembly afford a relatively small package size which is conveniently handled and economically shipped. The sign is quickly assembled and disassembled by simple manipulation of the frame elements. In accordance with an important aspect of the invention, the display web is provided with relatively high elastic elongation properties and the frame is arranged to slightly stretch the web to thereby completely tension it and ensure that it is drawn into a planar configuration.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,527 to Matthias A. Pingel discloses a sign holder comprising a panel including spaced front and rear panel members. At least one of the panel members is adapted to receive indicia thereon for display purposes. A plurality of vertically spaced, transverse extending web members are connected between the front and rear panel members. The web members with adjacent portions of the front and rear panel members define a plurality of vertically spaced, transversely extending channels. To support the panel in a vertical position, a pair of support elements are provided. One of the support elements is provided on each transverse side of the panel. To suspend the panel from the support elements, a pair of pin members are provided, each pin member having one end removably connected to respective one of the support elements and an opposite end removably received in at least one of the channels of the panel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,310 to Kenneth R. Farmer discloses an advertising display sign and stand combination which comprises a double sided display sign having printed thereon advertising copy and changeable copy display area and stand member removably attached to the double sided display side adapted to allow the sign stand combination to be implanted I the earth without the use of tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,885,860 to Robert C. Huenefeld discloses a yard sign having two display panels. Each display panel is of pan shaped configuration and adapted to nest one within the other so that a cavity is formed therebetween. An H-shaped support frame is positioned within the nested panels with only that portion of the frame's legs that extend below the frames's crossbar being located exteriorly of the display panels. The top edges of the H-frame's legs abut the nested display panels' top edge to prevent the display panels from sliding down on the support frame, and the support frame's crossbar abuts the nested display panel's bottom edge to prevent the pans from sliding up on the support frame. The legs are spaced apart one from the other a distance sufficient to minimize twisting of the display panels on the support frame relative to the sign's vertical center axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,937 to R. P. Stephen Davis discloses a stake for holding a sign upright and comprising at least two parallel and spaced-apart elongate legs, one end of which legs for being driven into the ground and the other end of which legs for supporting a sign above the ground. At least two longitudinally spaced-apart cross-members are secured to and connect the legs together. At least one of the cross-members comprises a step for being used to drive the two legs into the ground for supporting a sign on the other end. The other end of the legs comprises thin wire-like members for extending into the open areas of a corrugated sign or for holding a fiberboard sign. The other cross-member supports the sign at a predetermined distance above the cross-member which comprises the step.
U.S. Pat. D 431,036 to Marcia L. Chapman et al discloses a design for a compact disc pic, for use in floral arrangements and the like, as shown and described.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wire support for supporting an object from a base surface that overcomes the inadequacies of the prior art and provides a significant contribution to the art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire support for supporting an object from a base surface which is easy to manufacture.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire support for supporting an object from a base surface which is economical and easy to use.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire support for supporting an object from a base surface which is may be folded for transport.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved wire support for supporting an object from a base surface which is essentially disposable.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description setting forth the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.